Our Story

The Meaning of Levantea

Levantea takes its name from the place that inspired it — a play on the Levant and tea. It remembers the ancient traders who carried tea into the Levant along the Silk Road, where it was woven into the fabric of Arab hospitality and has been poured in welcome ever since. That is the thread we follow: tea as an offering, a table as a meeting place, hospitality as a way of saying you are welcome here.

Why We Exist

Levantea was founded on a simple but stubborn belief — that culture, shared with warmth and openness, can change minds. It was born from lived experience: of arriving as a Lebanese refugee, and of meeting the misconceptions that too often greet Arab identity in the diaspora. Levantea is the answer to that — a place that turns assumption into appreciation, one cup at a time. Here, everyone is welcome, regardless of religion, background, gender, or language. Because in the Arab world, what has always mattered most is people, community, and the open door of hospitality.

From the Founder

Levantea is the work of Hendrin Walsh: designer, consultant, hospitality professional, and a mother of three born across three different countries. Her life has spanned Lebanon, Sweden, Italy and Australia, and the past decade has been spent putting down roots in South West London. She knows the realities of cultural identity and displacement firsthand — and has built Levantea not as a business venture alone, but as a long-term commitment to a welcoming, meaningful space that serves and enriches its neighbourhood.

More Than a Tea Room

A table where the Levant gathers — and where, one cup at a time, we build understanding, foster connection, and remember what we share. Come as you are.